Ghana’s Gospel Porn – the latest heresy from the FOKN Bois

Sex and religion are intimately entwined so it’s fitting that self-styled Christian rap duo, FOKN Bois, have highlighted this link with their new gospel porn album.

Consider a church with a charismatic male pastor and the mainly female congregation being brought to ecstatic states. Or the way Catholic women displace their sexual feelings onto objects of devotion like Jesus or the saints. Some even becomes the brides of Christ, marrying themselves to a dead man in an act of sexually repressed devotion. Or the sadomasochistic behaviour of the devoutly religious who whip and beat themselves whilst reflecting on the tortured, semi-naked body of their Christ.

It is accepted that church is a good dating ground to be “evenly yoked”. The first track on the album takes us straight into church where, whilst hymn singing, the Bois check out the girls.

After that they launch into Strong Homosexual Guys, which pokes fun at the heterosexual male panic of gay sex, which has to be seen in the context of Ghana’s recent media panic over this issue and its obsession on the mechanics of sex between men.

Next they launch into Jesus is Coming. On the outset this looks like a straight-forward gospel song except the use of words, easily missed on the first hearing, suggests something far more subversive “man is full of goodness don’t let it go to waste” sums it up.

Christianity is not the only target. Sexin Islamic girls is the only song I’ve heard that may acknowledge the tease of the burka. But most of it is about the skills of the girls they’ve met “extremist blow job you are the bomb”. Expect more references to anal, especially in the outrageous lyrics of the chorus “humpin your mum in the bum till she comes we are sexin Islamic girls”.

Rasta Fried Rice is a collection of reggae musical clichés and word play on the language of Rastafari creating a wonderful parody, if rather over long.

Other tracks deal with sex with sheep, venereal infections, sex with aliens and sex with your dinner guests!

But it’s not all fun and games. Some songs deal with more serious issues such as some Ghanaian’s adoration of America (Help America) and the “White Man” (Want to be White) and the narrow-minded attitudes to disability (Laffin At Cripples). The album also features the deliciously provocative Thank God We’re Not A Nigerians which did its job admirably in getting some Nigerians, who heard the lyrics literally, to become outraged.

The overseeing hand of Panji Anoff of Pidgen music ensures excellent musical production.

FOKN Bois are similar to the Court Jesters of European royalty. They were the licensed fools who not just entertained but were the only ones allowed to criticise the Kings. Wanlov and M3nsa are here to provoke and thereby breakdown boundaries and the hegemony of organised religion and to bring us uncomfortable truths about ourselves made palatable by humour.

Interestingly, there has been little negative reaction to date. Perhaps the news of this album has not made it to the general population, or people have become more broad-minded. Or perhaps we have understood the role of FOKN Bois and given them permission to define their own artistic and moral space.

Looking behind the deliberate controversy is their joy at the poetry of language. Wanlov the Kubolor and M3nsa work mainly within Pidgin English and their mischievous word play is infectious, “Bill’s closed the gates” and “micros gone soft”.